Related Tags:

South Florida Crime

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – A trucker accused of killing a woman and dumping her body on a Dania Beach road over the weekend has reportedly tried to kill himself in jail.

Raul Serrano, 28, was arrested Sunday and charged with one count of first degree murder in the death of 49-year old Lacy Woolridge.

On Saturday, just before 6 a.m., the Broward Sheriff’s Office received a call about a body of a partially clothed woman in the 3100 block of State Road 84 in Dania Beach. The body was taken to the medical examiner’s office.

“This woman was severely beaten, there was a very violent sexual encounter where she was beaten about the face, throughout her body, there was a lot of damage to her body,” said sheriff’s office spokeswoman Gina Carter. “Her neck was broken which led to her death.”

“It’s terrible. It’s sad. I still have goose bumps on me. It’s shocking, scary,” said Amy Siepser, a neighbor.

People who knew her are stunned at the level of violence.

Using the woman’s fingerprints, the ME identified the body as that of Woolridge.

Serrano is a truck driver with Prime Incorporated, a trucking company based out of Springfield, Missouri.

Investigators said he picked up Woolridge in his semi before the attack. Detectives reportedly found Woolridge’s blood and personal items in the truck when they searched it.

“The offender was actually driving around with a plastic bag full of the victim’s possessions. Some of her clothing, her purse, personal items were in there and were found in the truck,” said Carter.

The sheriff’s office said during questioning, Serrano said he had sex with at least four different women in Miami-Dade and Broward around the time Woolridge was killed. Two of the women were prostitutes.

“Because of his behavior and his contact with women, especially women that are vulnerable and on the street, and his job as a truck driver, there’s a lot of concern there that this may not be his first victim,” said Carter. “The other women he came in contact with may have just narrowly escaped the same fate.”

Serrano’s face has deep gashes. Those could have come after his arrest. Deputies say he tried to kill himself several times.

“The offender was very distraught during the course of the interview and he began to hit himself on the head with the table. He actually took his belt and tried to hang himself in the interview room,” said Carter.

Serrano was scheduled for a bond hearing Monday but that was postponed for a medical evaluation. He’s being checked out for psychological issues because of those suicide attempted.

Because of the nature of his profession, the sheriff’s office has contacted the FBI to alert them that there may be more victims out there.